Music : Lewis Capaldi Reflects On Burnout And Refusing To “Phone It In” Again

Lewis Capaldi has spoken candidly about feeling “fucking dejected, disappointed, sad and just worthless” during the period that led to his burnout and break from performing.

The Scottish singer songwriter made his return in November last year with the EP ‘Survive’, marking his first new release since dropping the 2023 album ‘Broken By Desire to Be Heavenly Sent’.

The comeback followed his emotional surprise performance on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury last year. The moment carried extra significance after his difficult 2023 appearance on the same stage, where he was forced to cut the set short while struggling with Tourette’s related tics.

Now, in a new interview with Billboard UK, Capaldi has reflected on the experience and described the 2023 performance as “a very public breakdown.”

“Looking back, anyone could see that I felt fucking dejected, disappointed, sad and just worthless that day,” he explained. “But as soon as I got off stage, I was like, ‘I’m taking a break now.’ It felt like a weight had been lifted. People saw how fucking detrimental things can get.”

He continued: “When I got my Tourette’s diagnosis, I thought to myself, ‘Oh well, just carry on. This is life now,’” he said. “I wanted to finish the tour, almost as a badge of honour, and then get to Glastonbury, but I probably should have never been up there in the first place.”

Last year, Capaldi later described his return to Glastonbury as the “best day” of his life. Speaking further with Billboard, he admitted he now feels “happy and secure” enough to openly say he is still uncertain about what the future holds for him.

The singer also revealed that he hopes to collaborate with new people on his next album, although the project has not officially started yet. This time around, however, he wants to have a much more hands on role in the creative process and avoid compromising during recording sessions.

“I feel the most confused and lost I’ve ever been in my career. But it’s a really good thing; I feel like I have absolutely no idea what the fuck I’m doing,” he said. “Around the second album, I became so hyper-focused on chasing a hit record that I was just doing shit on the fly and handing off songs to producers. I don’t want to phone in anything ever again. The people who listen to my music deserve better; I deserve better.”

Capaldi had previously shared that several celebrities falsely claimed they had checked in on him while he was away focusing on his health.

Elsewhere in the interview, the singer opened up about his friendships with Sam Fender and Fontaines D.C. vocalist Grian Chatten, explaining how both artists have inspired him creatively.

In other news, Capaldi is set to headline BST Hyde Park and Roundhay Festival 2026 on Saturday July 11 and Sunday July 12. The huge outdoor performances are part of his upcoming UK and Ireland headline tour this summer, with remaining tickets still available.

Last month, the Scottish artist also performed a sold out show at Madison Square Garden. Ahead of the concert, he surprised fans with a pop up performance outside a florist near Penn Station in New York City, where he debuted a new song titled ‘Stay Love’. The crowd grew so large that police nearly shut the event down.

Elsewhere, Capaldi was recently confirmed as the artist behind the “mystery vinyl” featuring pitched down vocals, with the official release arriving in record stores on Record Store Day.

Since returning to the spotlight, Lewis Capaldi has also made a surprise appearance at a charity event alongside Matty Healy, appeared in Taylor Swift’s ‘Opalite’ music video, and teased more new music on the horizon.

Alongside the BST Hyde Park and Roundhay Festival dates, Capaldi is also preparing to headline two massive ‘In The Park’ summer 2026 shows in Liverpool and Newcastle, as well as perform at Sziget Festival.